Eyes Like Tide Pools
by love at third sight
Summary: Based on 250 Dark Stars. Oneshot. It takes exactly one boy to shake Yukimura Sayoko's world up, and it's not her brother. Niou/OC


author's note: This is a fanfiction of a fanfiction. I don't actually have permission to write or post it but I really like it a lot, and it's kind of my own tribute to 250 Dark Stars. **Note that this has absolutely nothing to do with the actual story** because this is just to satisfy how much I f*cking love Niou/Sayoko and since I like writing it so much I think other people might like it too.

If you haven't read 250 Dark Stars, go read it. _**Now**_.

To the lovely Neon Genesis - I love you and hope you post a new chapter soon. 8D

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><p>eyes like tide pools<p>

Yukimura Sayoko was no stranger to kissing boys. It was a natural progression of the confession-dating-romance scenario, and for every boy she'd kissed, the less she'd wanted out of them.

Her brother liked to think he got the situation under control, that no sleazy scumbag was going to date his sister. But he was wrong. For every boy that Seichii didn't find out - Sayoko found a guilty, unadulterated pleasure hooking up with guys, going on dates, putting on make up so she could look _pretty_...

Just so she bask in their attention.

It'd been the final straw when she fooled around with Tsujiai. There had to be a limit, somewhere. To be honest, she didn't know what she'd been thinking when she let him unbutton her blazer, and in school no less.

And then, Niou had to come and screw up things again.

-x-

Niou Masaharu. Residential trickster, off and on court. And personally, Not Her Type, because Sayoko knew for a fact that he rejected Every Girl who'd had the guts to confess to him.

But still. He'd always look out for her, make sure she was okay. She'd accepted it because, well, he was the only approachable one in the entire team, except for Kirihara, who was a plain jerk, and Marui, who saw her only as Buchou's Sister.

She wasn't really sure where she stood in his eyes. It wasn't a certain obligation, because she was fairly sure that talking to her and getting her home safely had nothing to do with Seiichi.

-x-

"So, kid, what's your type?"

She scowled. "I don't have a type, Niou-senpai."

He nodded towards the soccer players. "Sure you do."

This was Niou: unafraid of hurting her feelings right to the core. She automatically put a finger to her mouth and then she remembered she didn't have any more nails to chew on. Niou noticed this, and a lazy, condescending smirk came on his face. She hated it.

She hated the fact that he could make her feel weak.

"That was just one big mistake," she said flatly.

He cocked his head, like he was trying to figure her out. "At least you got something out of it."

"Like what?"

"Your brother protecting you, I guess."

-x-

He'd worn a black turtleneck sweater to a New Years Eve party. Sayoko couldn't help staring - he was even more good-looking than usual, twice as sly, and somehow more of himself than anybody else.

"Have any resolutions?"

"God, no," Sayoko said, leaning back on the couch. The two of them were very close, and they seemed like the only people in the room who were talking quietly. "You?"

Niou shrugged, his white hair in a ponytail and spikes sticking up in wild directions. "I probably wouldn't tell you if I had any."

"Screw you."

He took a sip of his champagne. "Sayoko, don't take it personally, okay?"

This was Niou: treating her like an indulgent child, just because he could. He always had to make her the bad guy.

And suddenly the clock was near to striking twelve, the crowd counting down.

"Wanna kiss?"

She'd let him do it once, just because he was hot and a teammate of her brother and that wild, bleached hair of his. His mouth was hot, and she couldn't help but wonder - How many girls has he kissed before? The thought stopped as the adrenaline rushed through her body - he kissed her, tongue invading her mouth, pushing her lips -

"Get _off_ of me, Niou-senpai," Sayoko said, panting. "God."

He grinned, with his sharp eyes that could cut through glass. "Happy New Year, Sayoko." He flicked her forehead, smirked, and walked away.

-x-

She was suddenly aware that her heart started beating faster and faster whenever he went near her. Part of her knew she was irrational. Tachibana An would be livid - probably would say, "What are you thinking, Sayoko? Don't you know what kind of guy Niou is?"

Yeah, she knew him. When it was personal, he kept it very personal. Wouldn't confide in her. Didn't give a damn about her, and pushed her around when he felt like it. Niou was the kind of guy who wouldn't call her, or take her out to meet his family, or buy her expensive things. In short, an asshole.

But on what terms did Sayoko deserve a nice guy? For one, Niou didn't take any of her bullshit, and two, he forced her to re-think over her actions.

And damn, if that wasn't something.

-x-

"How the _fuck_ did we end up here?" Niou asked, while Sayoko looked at the rest of the Rikkaidai team. They'd gotten on the train on time, pushing through the crowd to get aboard. Niou and Sayoko hadn't, by some strange coincidence.

Her mouth was suddenly dry. "I don't know. I think Marui must have pushed us aside."

"Bastard," Niou grumbled. "I'm going to steal his snacks for that."

Sayoko put up her hand to her mouth, giggling. "Serves him right."

"Well, let's go. Can't keep 'Mura-buchou waiting."

"M'kay," she said, and she trotted obediently behind him. This was normal; he'd escorted her home before.

Except not really, because she was trying to surreptitiously steal glances at him. This time, she wondered if he thought anything about their kiss, and if he ever regretted it.

Unfortunately, this was Niou, and he just noticed everything because he was annoying like that.

"Cut that out, Sayoko," he says, and she turns a shade of rosy pink. "If you have something to say, say it already and leave a man in peace."

"I didn't mean to," she retorted defensively.

And they walked home in silence.

-x-

Sayoko straightened her hair and pursed her lips as she peered anxiously in the mirror. Her brother walked in, mindless of whether her door was closed or not.

"Sayoko, we're going to be late to school. Don't you have anything better to do than to look at yourself in the mirror?"

She hated her brother because of the careless things he said to her, and hated that he was right. Two things he and Niou shared in common. She turned around to face him.

"Yeah, sorry. Let's go."

-x-

"Sayoko, you're daydreaming," An said, jabbing Sayoko with a sharp finger. The blue-eyed girl only shrugged, which seemed to interest An.

"This doesn't have anything to do with Niou, does it?"

"Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't," Sayoko allowed.

"Oh god, why can't you just tell him and get it over with - "

"Tell me what?"

Sayoko nearly dropped her books at the sight of her crush. It was really too bad that she recovered in a nanosecond. Her expression was disdainful, even contemptuous as she regarded the boy behind her. "None of your business."

An had to admire the nerve of Sayoko, to be blatantly deceptive to the Trickster. But as soon as this thought crossed her mind, Niou simply got nearer to Sayoko and whispered something in her ear, quick as lightning. The girl's eyes widened, and then he left as quickly as he had came, downstairs to his class before the bell rang.

"What did he say?"

"I'll tell you later," Sayoko said, and she sank into her seat, taking out her notebooks in preparation of the lesson that day. An could tell her hands were shaking.

-x-

"You've been acting strange lately," Niou said as they sat in the clubhouse, keys stolen from An's pocket.

"No I'm not," Sayoko said. "And you should be at practice. Sanada-kun is going to give you laps."

Niou didn't meet her eyes. A moment passed into silence.

Then - "It's worth it for you."

Her breath stopped. "Niou-senpai..."

"I've always liked you since I've had to escort you home."

"I'm messed up, Niou."

"I know. That's why I like you."

"You don't want to date someone like me."

"I don't want to be with someone I can't figure out instantly," Niou said.

"But - "

His lips captured her own and it felt so good, so hot, so right that she succumbed to the pleasure. No boy had ever kissed her like this before, no mingling of tongues, so deliciously sweet -

And suddenly he pulled away, breathing hard. "I've always wanted to do that with you again."

Her own mouth betrayed her. "Me too."

He smirked. "I'd always suspected, but you're kind of good about keeping your emotions in check."

"If we date, you're going to have to tell Onii-chan about it."

Niou placed a hand under her chin. "You're so beautiful that I don't mind getting ripped up by your brother, as scary as that sounds."

A rosy blush bloomed onto Sayoko's cheeks. "But I'm not beautiful."

"Sweetheart, don't pretend to be humble when you're not."

-x-

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><p><strong>author's note<strong>: Sucky ending, I know. But I had a good time writing this, bahaha.

REVIEW! Tell me what you think. c:


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